INDIANAPOLIS – We’re a month out from the April 24-26 NFL Draft and we would argue things are becoming clearer for the Indianapolis Colts.
General manager Chris Ballard holds seven overall picks, including No. 14 overall, and has options. He always is open to some wheelin’ and dealin’.
Move up to snare a coveted player (Jonathan Taylor in 2020).
Or move back to accumulate additional picks (too many examples to mention).
As we’ve mentioned, Ballard could stand pat in round 1 and reinforce an offensive line that will be without center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries. Or he still could add a top-tier cornerback or safety despite spending heavily on free agents Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum.
Yet those latter moves continue to sharpen the focus on the Colts finally adding a dynamic tight end to an offense that will follow the lead of either Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones.
Mock drafts tend to agree.
Penn State’s Tyler Warren, if he falls to No. 14.
Or Michigan’s Colston Loveland, if Warren is off the board and Ballard decides against doing whatever it takes to move up to get him.
Here are some of the updated and adjusted mock drafts after the initial phase of the free-agency signing period:
Dan Brugler, The Athletic (March 24)
The pick: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan.
*The reason: Whether Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones wins the starting quarterback job, the Colts are overdue to add more weapons on offense. The tight end corps is particularly unimpressive. The 6-6 Loveland puts a tall target on the field, one capable of running receiver routes.
Notable: Ty Warren was projected to the Saints at No. 9.
Josh Liskiewitz, Pro Football Focus (March 24)
The pick: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State.
The reason: Warren is a do-everything tight end who any coach would love to input into their offense. He isn’t a twitchy or flexible athlete who can unlock the whole route tree, but his versatility is incredibly valuable in the run-and-pass games. He is worthy of a first-round selection.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports (March 24)
The pick: G Tyler Booker, Alabama.
The reason: They have a hole at right guard and Booker might be the best offensive lineman in this class. The Colts could pair him with Quenton Nelson to give them a power set of guards. It’s not sexy, but he will be a 10-year starter.
Notable: Warren was projected to the Saints at No. 9 and Colston to the Chargers at No. 22.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today
The pick: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State.
The reason: If Warren makes it out of the top 10, this should be his floor. The Colts could surely use a pass catcher who can not only be a safety valve for either Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson but also bail out his quarterback by snagging contested catches or picking up huge chunks of yards after the catch.
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports (March 22).
The pick: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan.
The reason: Indianapolis has made it known that Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones will compete for the starting quarterback position. The Colts have invested heavily in that wide receiver room, but make Colston Loveland the face of a newly-renovated tight end corps.
Notable: Warren was projected to the Chargers at No. 22.
Rob Rang, Fox Sports (March 21).
The pick: G Tyler Booker, Alabama.
The reason: Losing center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries in free agency (both to the Vikings) will sting less if the Colts are able to rebound with the addition of Booker, who is among the safety prospects in this year’s class. Booker starred at left guard at Alabama – where the Colts currently boast All-Pro Quenton Nelson – but he’s played right guard (and left tackle) before and possesses the physicality and work ethic to maintain the Colts’ physicality and nastiness up front.
Notable: Warren was projected to the Jaguars at No. 5 and Loveland to the Eagles at No. 32.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com (March 21)
The pick: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan.
The reason: In terms of play style, Loveland is more comparable to 2024 first-round pick Brock Bowers than Tyler Warren. The Michigan product missed a chunk of last season with a shoulder injury, but the Colts could see a weapon who can win with size, quickness and savviness against defensive backs and linebackers.
Notable: Warren was projected to the Broncos at No. 12 after Denver acquired the pick in a move-up trade from No. 20 with Dallas.
Todd McShay, The McShay Report (March 20)
The pick: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan.
The reason: The Colts are starved for a difference maker at this position – whether it’s in support of Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones. In terms of his advanced route running and general pass-catching skill set, I think Loveland is vastly underrated and is just a tick behind where record-breaking rookie right end Brock Bowers was as a prospect. Loveland runs routes like a big wide receiver and has an excellent catalog of moves to get off press coverage and even more impressive separation skills at the top of his stem. His hand-eye coordination is outstanding, and he dropped only two passes all of last season. Finally, he’s highly effective at generating yards after the catch, which is something the Colts quarterbacks could greatly benefit from.
Notable: Warren was projected to the Saints at No. 9.
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News (March 19)
The pick: DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan.
The reason: The Colts addressed their secondary in free agency with Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum, but they could do more to bolster their defensive line rotation behind DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. Grant has the explosiveness to line up well outside in their 4-3.
Notable: Warren was projected to the Jets at No. 7 and Loveland to the Rams at No. 26.
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com (March 18)
The pick: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State.
The reason: Whether it’s Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones starting for the Colts next season, the team needs to help its quarterback with some easy completions. Warren can provide them, and he’ll also be an asset in the run game for Jonathan Taylor.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN (March 17)
The pick: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan.
The reason: I liked the Colts’ signings of Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum, so I’m less worried about the secondary than I was a few weeks ago. But I’m still very concerned about Indy’s pass-catching options. This is a make-or-break season for quarterback Anthony Richardson – especially now that Daniel Jones is in the fold as competition – and the wide receiver and tight end rooms are light.
The Colts could take a wideout such as Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan, Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka or Texas’ Matthew Golden. But Loveland is ranked higher on my board than all three and could immediately become Indy’s No. 1 tight end. I see him hauling in some Richardson deep balls down the seam.
Notable: Kiper projected Warren to the New York Jets at No. 7.
Anthony Pasciolla, Pro Football Network (March 18)
The pick: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan.
The reason: The Indianapolis Colts miss out on the consensus No. 1 TE for a second consecutive season with Bowers and Warren being selected prior to their pick. Instead of opting for the best player available, the Colts’ front office could become tired of waiting and take the next-best player at the position. Colston Loveland continued his success last season, but the lack of productive quarterback play and the run-oriented offense hurt his level of production.
Notable: Warren went to the Jets No. 10, after a projected trade with Chicago.
Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports (March 19)
The pick: TE Tyler Warren.
The reason: The Colts add a physical specimen at tight end to add more diversity to the offense.
Ryan McCrystal, Sharp Football Analysis (March 17)
The pick: OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas.
The reason: Center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries are gone with no replacements on the way yet. Right tackle Braden Smith is also entering the final year of his contract. Indy could potentially add a versatile lineman such as Missouri’s Armand Membou or Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. to play guard in the short term while also providing long-term insurance behind Smith if he’s not retained after 2025.
Joel Klatt, FOX Sports (March 18)
The pick: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State.
The reason: I’m not sure if Warren’s going to slide this far, but if he does, this would be a great fit. The Colts are still trying to figure out what’s going on at quarterback. Warren can help either Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson, who has proven to be a big-time target and versatile. He was Penn State’s best offensive weapon last season.
Mike Renner, CBS Sports (March 17)
The pick: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State.
The reason: While Anthony Richardson isn’t hurting for weapons, Tyler Warren’s versatility makes him an easy choice to join the offense. He will be a value add as a blocker in the run game and has shown to be a weapon on gadget-type plays in Penn State’s offense.
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports (March 17)
The pick: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State.
The reason: Tyler Warren accounted for 49% of Penn State’s offense as a receiver, passer and runner. No player has done more for his draft stock than Warren, who was a late Day 2/Day 3 pick over the summer and could end up going higher than the middle of the first round.
Nate Tice, Yahoo Sports (March 18)
The pick: G Tyler Booker, Alabama.
The reason: Cornerback is another position that Indianapolis could go with here, along with tight end, but Will Fries is a free agent at right guard. And the Colts could build one of the league’s better lines, with one of the strongest guard pairings, by adding Booker to their offense.
Notable: Warren slid to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 18.
Kyle Crabbs, 33rd Team (March 17)
The pick: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan.
The reason: The Colts get left out of the Tyler Warren sweepstakes in this scenario but still come away with a talented flex receiver who can create some of the same mismatch problems (or more, if you compare the two in space). With a well-established offensive line that may need a guard to take over for Will Fries, this team has the infrastructure to win the point of attack well enough and embrace the receiving profile of this tight end.
Notable: Warren went to the Jets at No. 7.
John Kosko, Pro Football Focus (March 17)
The pick: CB Jahdae Barron, Texas.
The reason: The Colts have lacked consistency in their secondary the past couple of seasons, so they select the best cornerback available. Barron is fast and fluid and would fit well into defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s zone scheme. Barron can play any position in the secondary if needed, but his instincts would be best at outside cornerback.
Notable: Warren went to Dallas at No. 12.
Walter Football (March 17)
The pick: G Tyler Booker, Alabama.
The reason: The Colts lost Will Fries to Minnesota, giving them a hole at one of their guard spots. I bet they love the idea of having one of the top guard tandems in the NFL. Tyler Booker isn’t an elite athlete, but he has incredible length.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.
